


Single Dads (Put a Ring On It)

by merycula (thanksillpass)



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Parents, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-09
Updated: 2015-02-07
Packaged: 2018-02-16 19:10:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,346
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2281317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thanksillpass/pseuds/merycula
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Five single dads. Five possible love stories.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Aomine wasn’t a full-time parent for a reason. Well, many reasons. Anyone who met him even once would be able to list at least ten. Satsuki had known him all her life, so she could probably list more. That’s why, even if she acknowledged Daiki as the boy’s father and reluctantly accepted him into their lives, she was determined to raise Sota on her own and never expect too much of Aomine. Which was a smart thing to do, Daiki had to admit.

He liked the kid just fine, and it was most probably mutual – who wouldn’t like a father who only ever took you to basketball games and gave you as many sweets as you wanted? Satsuki was a busy woman but she mostly relied on her “exceptionally qualified” nanny, Kuroko, so Aomine didn’t see Sota  _that_  often. Which didn’t particularly faze him; he wasn’t a warm and loving person who would create a healthy environment for a child.

His responsibilities were mostly limited to occasionally taking Sota to and out of school or babysitting on weekends. He was a good kid, much better than Daiki was his age. Although he  _did_  seem to inherit Aomine’s laziness and a bit of his mean streak, he definitely had Satsuki’s brains, for which Daiki was infinitely grateful – he was lucky to have enough talent to get him through life despite his stupidity, but that didn’t happen to everyone.

All things considered, Aomine seemed to be doing okay as a part-time dad, and he was getting better and better with time. He no longer forgot to give Sota lunch money, for example, and they were never late for school anymore. Well, almost never – they were late  _now_ , because Daiki ended up playing video games until late and only woke up when Satsuki was already on his parking lot, hitting the car horn until Aomine showed up on his balcony, begging her to stop.

He used to question the fact that she apparently had time to drop Sota at his place but not to drive him to school, but it soon turned out it was Kise-sensei’s fault. That man was  _the_  clingiest and most talkative person Daiki had ever met and, while all kids adored him, parents avoided him like the plague. Aomine still had war flashbacks from the first time Kise got him in his clutches. He shivered at the thought of going in there and apologizing for Sota’s tardiness.

There was another person with a kid loitering outside the classroom when they finally arrived. Daiki’s first instinct was to drop Sota and run, but he faltered when he took a closer look at the man. It wasn’t that he was a stunning beauty or anything, but Aomine  _did_  have a type – big eyes, kind smile, and generally pretty but not too hot to be out of his league. He immediately grabbed Sota’s arm and spun him around.

“You have to do something for me.”

“Mom says I don’t have to do anything you tell me because I’m smarter than you.”

Daiki groaned. “And she’s right, basically, but I  _need_  you to do something for me. I need you to get friendly with that girl over there.”

He certainly hoped Sota wouldn’t ask what was in it for him, because what could he even offer to this kid? Doing his  _homework_  for him? But Sota simply looked at him, unimpressed.

“I’m already her friend. Her name’s Sakurai Mio and her mom’s dead.”

Aomine stared at him blankly. “You’re just saying that so I feel too guilty to make a move on her dad. I hate you.”

“But I  _want_  you to make a move on him,” said Sota, offering him a shit-eating grin that was one of the few proofs he was actually Daiki’s kid. “It’s always hilarious to watch you-”

Aomine muffled the rest of that sentence with his hand and grumbled as he hauled Sota up to carry him to the classroom. The brat  _bit_  him before he could make two steps, and Daiki’s loud yelp caught Sakurai’s attention.

“Uh, I’m sorry, are you late too?”

He had a nice voice and Aomine really needed him to be at least a little bit gay. Sota jumped off him and honest-to-god  _skipped_  on his way to little Mio’s side, grinning at her. She offered him a small smile in return before looking at Daiki and bowing slightly. It was adorable as hell – truly awful.

“Yeah,” he muttered eventually, rubbing his bitten hand. “Not sure how to walk in now and avoid Kise-sensei?”

Sakurai nodded. “I’m sorry! I know it’s horrible, but he’s just…”

“I  _know!_  How about just-”

Aomine didn’t finish that sentence because the door to the classroom flung open and Kise greeted them with a blinding smile. He ushered the kids inside with a playful warning and immediately turned to them. Daiki panicked, not sure how to save them from the inevitable onslaught of inappropriate question and/or flailing over children he couldn’t care less about.

“I’m sorry, sensei!” yelped Sakurai before Kise could even open his mouth, and grabbed Aomine’s hand. “I’m truly sorry but Momoi-san was bit and we really need to go to the nurse right this instant! The dog was a huge vicious beats but he fought bravely! Make sure to tell that to the children! I’m sorry! Good bye!”

And he bolted, just like that, dragging a maniacally grinning Daiki behind and leaving Kise stunned into silence. That was probably the first… Aomine stopped abruptly when he deemed it safe enough, and Sakurai almost toppled over, his back hitting Daiki’s chest.

“I’m sorry!”

“It’s fine,” muttered Aomine as he helped Sakurai stand straight. “Just, the nurse’s office is in the opposite direction and my name is not Momoi. It’s Aomine.”

Sakurai frowned slightly. “You’re not Sota-kun’s dad?”

“I am. Part-time. His mom and I aren’t together. Never were, actually. Long story. Not that long, actually. I-”

God, why was he so nervous? It’s been  _way_  too long, was why. He rubbed his neck, hot from embarrassment, and cringed, unable to look Sakurai in the eye. But then he heard a light chuckle, not the mean kind, the kind that made you feel like you said something funny, completely intentionally, and it worked.

“It’s nice to meet you, Aomine-san. I’m Sakurai Ryou, I… should have a card here somewhere… Ah! I’m sorry! Your hand! I- It doesn’t actually need medical attention, does it?”

Daiki shook his head, grinning. “I think I can handle a bite from an nine-year-old. I’m more embarrassed you even saw that…”

“Mio doesn’t look like it, but she’s also a biter.”

Luckily, Aomine bit back the question whether her father was a biter too, because the next thing that came out of Sakurai’s mouth was, “She has her mother’s temper.” Daiki swallowed, rubbing his hand on his chest absentmindedly.

“Uh… I, ah, heard from Sota that-”

Sakurai flailed his hands, blushing. “Oh, I’m sorry! Please, don’t worry! It’s been years, it’s- It’s fine, really! I’m sorry for making you worry! Please, let’s change the subject to something less depressing!”

Aomine sighed in relief and chuckled, nodding. They walked out of the school and it turned out that Sakurai had a day off, so Daiki came up with some lame excuse to ask him out for coffee (“I don’t know any other parents and Satsuki got promoted so I think, maybe, I’ll be spending more time with Sota now and… you know…”). The bright smile Sakurai offered him before agreeing almost slayed him at the spot, and Aomine walked all the way to the café on unsteady legs.

Sakurai worked for a manga-publishing company. The job was demanding and time-consuming, but he was able to work mostly at home, or take Mio with him to the company. He drew manga himself, but he claimed he wasn’t talented enough to be published, so he decided to do the publishing instead. Sakurai’s eyes lit up when he talked about Mio and Daiki couldn’t help but wonder if  _he_  would ever look like that because of about Sota.

When Daiki told him that he played for the national basketball team, Sakurai nearly went cross-eyed and almost took his eye out with a tea spoon.

“I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you before, I’m so sorry! This is so embarrassing! I may not look like it, but I used to play basketball… This is such an honor! I’m sorry, I mean- I don’t mean to, like- Oh god, what are you even doing here with me, Aomine-san? Don’t you have fans to beat off with a stick?! I’m so sorry for wasting your time!”

“You wouldn’t believe how many people are too scared to approach me even if they do recognize me,” said Aomine with a laugh. “And what about  _your_  fans? Don’t tell me your doe eyes and offensively adorable daughter didn’t get you any, because I won’t believe you.”

It was Sakurai’s turn to laugh. “I’m sorry, but  _you_  wouldn’t believe how many people feel too sorry for me to actually go out with me. It’s my first date since-”

Sakurai didn’t finish the sentence, because Daiki unceremoniously started choking on his coffee. Sakurai panicked, flailing his hands uselessly as Aomine hit his chest with a fist until he could breathe again.

“Is this-” he wheezed, coughing. “Is this a date?!”

Sakurai’s eyes widened in horror as his face turned beet red. “Oh god, I’m so sorry! I’m sorry, I just assumed! Oh my god, I think I’m gonna die of embarrassment, I’m so sorry!”

He hid his face in his hands, peeking through his fingers and Aomine was at a loss for words for a moment. Just how cute could this person get was beyond his comprehension, but he had to say _something_  because Sakurai started whining softly in mortification.

“No, I- you, uh… you assumed right,” he stammered eventually.

Sakurai dropped his hands immediately. “Really?!”

He sounded way too happy about it for Aomine’s comfort because, really, no one was that happy about spending time with Daiki, including his own mother. He decided to play it cool despite his obvious embarrassment, and leaned back in his seat nonchalantly. Unfortunately, just as he threw his elbow over the back of the chair, the waiter walked by and Aomine’s wristband caught on a pen. As the waiter passed him, he dragged Daiki’s hand with him, making the chair tip back, and Aomine ended up sprawled on the floor.

Of course he did.


	2. Chapter 2

Ryouta loved being a teacher and he loved talking about his students. He couldn’t understand why his enthusiasm wasn’t catching with the parents – he was talking about  _their_  children, after all! They should be shitting themselves over how talented and full of life and amazing their kids were!

Rationally, Kise knew he wasn’t the easiest person to stomach for adults; he was too forward, too tactile, too excitable, too… everything.

But all that was why the kids liked him, and that was way more important to him. He prided himself in knowing how to deal with literally every kind of a child. He knew how to mellow down the troublemakers, and how to boost the confidence of the shy ones. He could make even the saddest child laugh freely, even if only for a while. Having that, how could he care that some bitter and boring parent ran off at the mere sight of him?

Thus, unsurprisingly, Ryouta was thrilled to hear there were going to be not only one new student in his class, but two! Kasamatsu Yukio-san was going to bring his twins before the second period, and Kise could barely stay still in his chair. The kids kept giggling at his random and poorly-concealed outbursts of squeals, but Ryouta wasn’t going to ruin the surprise. When the bell rang, he was the first one out of the room, waiting impatiently by the door.

Finally, a man walked over, a boy and a girl each grasping one of his hands. Kise wanted to melt at the sight of the children – terrified almost to the point of crying, holding onto their dad for dear life. Then, unfortunately, Kise took a closer look at the man, and instantly started worrying about his hair and clothes. Kasamatsu-san looked so  _serious,_  and maybe even a little bit displeased, and it filled Kise with irrational need to be as presentable as possible.

With no better alternative, he focused on the children.

“Aren’t you two just the cutest things I’ve seen? Let me guess! You’re Manami and you’re Takumi.”

He made a mistake on purpose, expecting the children to relax, laugh at his slip-up, and correct him. But they only hid further behind Kasamatsu’s legs, casting Ryouta spooked glances. Their father sighed heavily, asking them to introduce themselves properly. When they managed to do so, Kise took them inside, urging Yukio along, and showed the twins to their seats at the back, telling them to unpack while the adults had a chat.

“First days are always stressful,” he offered. “Especially in the middle of the semester! They’ll be fine, I promise~!”

Kasamatsu only grunted in confirmation, and Ryouta noticed the bags under his eyes. He knew he shouldn’t press, and that it was probably best to let Yukio be on his way as soon as possible, but Kise had  _principles._

“So, Kasamatsu-san, tell me! What’re their hobbies? Their likes and dislikes? Any allergies?”

Yukio looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “Allergies? I already gave that information to the nurse, why do  _you_  need to know? They’re only supposed to study here.”

“I like bringing cookies on Wednesdays,” explained Kise, grinning sheepishly.

That definitely took Kasamatsu-san by surprise, judging by his incredibly expressive eyebrows, and Kise chuckled again, smiling encouragingly. Yukio’s cheeks colored slightly, which didn’t faze Ryouta too much, as he was used to getting people embarrassed just by being himself.

“Uh, I don’t know what they like. I don’t really know them all that well.”

It was Kise’s turn to raise his eyebrows. “Excuse me?”

“They’re not mine. I’m their next of kin.”

Kasamatsu-san didn’t have to get into explicit detail for Kise to understand the situation. His chest clenched and he took a deep breath to calm his nerves; that was going to be a challenge. He had kids in his class that were raised by single or divorced parents, and even some that had lost one, but he never had to deal with children who’d lost both of them. Still, he couldn’t break down in front of Yukio who, clearly, was in much more dire situation as a guardian than Ryouta.

“Your wife doesn’t mind?” he asked.

Kasamatsu looked at him blankly. Kise was being too nosy again, he knew, but he couldn’t stop himself. He  _needed_  to know everything – how else was he supposed to help?

“Uh… girlfriend then?” he tried again.

Yukio sighed in defeat. “My  _boyfriend_  did mind, actually, so I no longer have one. Now it’s just me and them.”

Ryouta was officially about to start crying. Two adorable, innocent children had lost their parents, and Kasamatsu-san had to sacrifice his own personal happiness in order to be able to take care of them  _by himself!_  How was this real life and how was Kise supposed to be a part of it without sobbing every time he opened his mouth?! He clutched at his chest and nodded, solemnly vowing to take care of the twins during the time they would spend in school.

Yukio left his classroom mostly confused but, hopefully, also a little bit relieved.

 

* * *

 

The weird part was that he kept coming back. Kise was certain he would never step foot in his classroom again, considering how inappropriately nosy and pushy Ryouta was the first time they met. He was surprised but incredibly happy, and not only because Yukio was literally the first person  _ever_ to do that. Of course, he could hear other parents gossiping about a suicidal man voluntarily walking into the lion’s den, but he didn’t care.

Kasamatsu-san brought the twins every morning before class, and almost always stayed for a chat. He mostly asked questions about the previous day, claiming the kids wouldn’t talk to him much, and Ryouta found it unbearably endearing, how much Yukio was trying despite having absolutely no idea what to do. Sometimes, he would ask for advice on various things, from food to extracurricular activities, and it made Kise swell with pride.

He was more than glad to help, of course – he wanted the children to be happy again as soon as possible. Manami and Takumi were slowly acclimatizing, even if they mostly kept to themselves, and they slowly started opening up to Ryouta. It was good, because it filled him with hope and allowed him to help Kasamatsu. He barely contained the urge to blackmail the secretary into giving him Yukio’s number the first time he heard Takumi laugh.

The better the twins were, the less often Kise saw their guardian. Which was also a very good thing, that Ryouta was absolutely not bitter about. Why would he be? Sure, it was nice to be needed, but this wasn’t about him at all. It was about the kids being happy again and accepting their uncle into their hearts. It was about Yukio finally having less to worry about and making the time to maybe, probably, find someone to raise the twins with him. 

Which didn’t necessarily have to be Kise, obviously. Kasamatsu would surely, in no time, find someone who would love all three of them even more than Ryouta did, and be decidedly less annoying about it.

Kise had no idea when it happened, but he did fall in love with Yukio. At first, it was just admiration for his devotion and hard work. But when he got to know Kasamatsu-san better, he learned that he had a short temper, and played the guitar, and was extremely goal-oriented, and he couldn’t talk to women. That combination proved fatal for Ryouta’s heart.

It was probably showing and that was why Yukio stopped coming by, and Kise thought about it every weekend, when he didn’t have school to distract him. Until that one Saturday, when he decided to stop moping and get on with his life - he started small, by going shopping for ice cream in his pj’s. It turned out to be the worst decision of his life because, apparently, his was the convenience store where Kasamatsu family also shopped.

Ryouta was prepared to pretend he hadn’t noticed them and run away screaming internally, but he was betrayed by Manami.

“Sensei!” she squealed.

Kise really,  _truly_ wanted to be mad, but his face immediately went slack at the happy tone of her voice and he dropped to his knees, opening his arms. She locked hers around Ryouta’s neck and squeezed, demanding to be lifted up. Her brother and uncle quickly joined them, Takumi pulling on Kise’s arm to show him something. Ryouta laughed, but Yukio looked at the kids sternly.

“He has to deal with you five days a week, cut him some slack on a weekend,” he muttered.

“I don’t mind,” said Ryouta with a chuckle, as he put Manami down. “So, uh… fancy seeing you here, Kasamatsu-san. Shopping. With the kids. Dressed all nicely. While I’m wearing my pajamas. And looking for comfort food.”

Yukio raised a curious eyebrow. “Bad hair day?”

“I didn’t think so until you pointed it out,” mumbled Kise worriedly, hands flying to fix his hair.

Kasamatsu caught his writs. “You look fine. Really. Nothing to fix there. Anywhere.”

Ryouta whimpered softly because that was just plain rude and mean to play with his heart like that. He was blushing and it probably caused Yukio to blush too, and it was just embarrassingly mortifying and Kise wanted to run away really badly. He would have, probably quite successfully, if Takumi hadn’t invited him to their basketball match - Kise had always had difficulties refusing children. Or basketball.

And they didn’t even let him change.

Before Ryouta knew what was happening, he spent an entire afternoon with them and even got the ice cream he wanted so much. It was a bit awkward to prance around town in his pj’s (because  _of course_  the promised match was the  _last_  thing on their to-do list), but he had fun.  _So much fun._  He almost forgot this wasn’t for real until late in the evening when they carried the sleeping kids into Kasamatsu’s apartment and put them in their beds. Only then did Kise remember that he was supposed to go.

“You want a beer?”

Ryouta blinked owlishly for a moment but quickly collected himself and nodded vehemently. Yukio smirked as he handed him the bottle and pointed to his couch. Kise wasn’t nervous in the slightest as he sat down, bringing his knees to his chest, and waited for Kasamatsu to join him. At all. Yukio flopped down next to him, groaning heavily.

“Don’t get me wrong, I love them, but they’re killing me.”

Ryouta chuckled into his bottle. “I have twenty of those. I know it’s not the same, but I do feel responsible for all of them.”

Kasamatsu looked at him with a serious expression for a long moment and Kise started to feel self-conscious. He didn’t say anything though, nursing his beer and pretending not to notice the intense gaze. Suddenly, Yukio cleared his throat and coughed awkwardly.

“You’ve been a great help these few months. I mean it. I wouldn’t have managed without you and you really didn’t have to that…”

Ryouta felt his cheeks getting hot. “I liked doing it. I love kids. I’d love to have some of my own. But no one seems to want stick around long enough.”

“You  _are_  pretty annoying,” admitted Kasamatsu with a snort. “But you’re great with them. And you’re a good guy.”

Kise hugged his legs tighter, smiling stupidly into his knee. He honestly didn’t understand what was wrong with him. The normal, usual him would have already started spreading his seductive wiles, but the current him, terrified him, did completely nothing.

“Stay the night.”

Ryouta felt his heart stop for a moment, his eyes widening as he snapped his head up to look at Yukio. Kasamatsu wasn’t looking at him, but staring holes into his beer, an angry blush coating his cheeks; Kise wouldn’t believe he’d heard right, weren’t it for that blush. He took a shuddering breath and shifted slightly on the couch, facing Yukio’s side.

“Do you mean… stay the night, or… stay the night?”

Kasamatsu swallowed, still avoiding eye contact. Ryouta had no idea what Yukio wanted, but he knew what  _he_  wanted – whatever Kasamatsu wanted. It was starting to get confusing, even in his own head, and he was about to suggest not using weird codes for sex, but Yukio suddenly clicked his tongue, shaking his head.

“I don’t know. Forget I asked.”

Kise’s breath caught in his throat. “No, wait. I- I would like to spend the night.  _Or,_  spend the night, I don’t care. Just. Okay?”

He wanted to smack himself, because how was Kasamatsu supposed to understand that if Ryouta himself had no idea what he just said?! Yukio frowned in confusion, and Kise hid his face in behind his crossed arms, about to spontaneously combust.

“Okay,” said Kasamatsu with a soft sigh.

Kise clenched his eyes shut and nodded. Okay.


	3. Chapter 3

As a nanny, Kuroko was a frequent guest at the local emergency clinic. It wasn’t to say that he was careless or neglectful, because he mostly brought in kids with fever, just to be safe, but some accidents were simply impossible to avoid when you were watching over a five years old ball of pure energy or an uncooperative seven-year-old with something to prove. Admittedly, the last child he had expected to be bringing here was Sota-kun, but accidents did happen.

Tetsuya hovered over doctor Midorima, as the man attended to the cut on Sota’s leg. Looking over the doctor’s shoulder, he made faces at Sota, mocking Midorima’s trademark scowls. The doctor clicked his tongue, berating Kuroko for being an unappreciated distraction, and shooed him away. Tetsuya obediently wandered off, certain that Sota-kun was in good hands, to notify Momoi-san about the accident, but was distracted by the sight of a man, sitting in the hallway next to a vending machine, holding a sleeping boy in his arms.

The boy couldn’t have been more than four years old and the way in which the father was looking at him caused Kuroko’s stomach to twist. The man’s eyebrows were scrunched in confusion and he looked rather hopeless, seemingly asking the child countless silent questions. Tetsuya had always been helpless before helpless men, so he slowly walked over, completely forgetting about calling Momoi-san.

“Excuse me, what are you doing here?”

The man startled violently, and Kuroko was worried for a second that he would drop the boy from his arms, but the child didn’t even stir in his sleep.

“Jesus Christ,” muttered the man in English, causing Kuroko’s brows to rise in surprise. “You scared me,” he added in heavily accented Japanese. “I didn’t notice you at all.”

Tetsuya apologized with a bow. “Well, I couldn’t help but notice  _you_ , uh, Mr…?”

“Taiga. I mean, Kagami. Sorry, still can’t get used to you guys being so weird about names.”

Kuroko introduced himself and took a seat next to Kagami. “Shouldn’t you be looking for a doctor, Kagami-san?”

“Uh, yeah, no,” muttered Taiga, blushing. “We already saw one. The rude one, with awful hair. I’m just too shaken up to drive yet. Ryuu got a fever and I panicked, man, but now he’s fine and out like a light like nothing happened. Kids are weird…”

Tetsuya nodded stiffly, but he was melting inside. He looked at little Ryuu clutching unconsciously to his father’s t-shirt, and bit his lip to stop himself from whimpering. Children really were his weakness – that’s why he liked his job so much and never actually considered doing anything else. Well, except maybe working as a kindergarten teacher, but he was worried his low stamina wouldn’t let him properly take care of so many kids at once.

“A tiger and a dragon, huh?” he teased to hide his own overwhelming feelings. “How poetic.”

“S-shut up!” stammered Kagami, blushing again.

Kuroko chuckled, his cheeks getting warm as well. He felt slightly guilty about sitting here and indulging himself in a conversation with a handsome father of an adorable boy, while Sota-kun was right around the corner with doctor Midorima, probably getting lectured about following horoscopes in order to avoid accidents like that in the future. He felt considerably more guilty about neglecting to inform Momoi-san about the incident, so he excused himself reluctantly.

“I need to call the mother of the boy I brought here.”

Taiga blinked owlishly. “Do the Japanese always use such a roundabout way of referring to their wives?”

“Oh, no, Kagami-san. There has been a misunderstanding. I’m just his nanny.”

Tetsuya expected Kagami to laugh, because a male nanny was neither a common, nor a particularly socially accepted occupation, but he only chuckled darkly, hanging his head low.

“How dedicated are you, because I would kill for one right now,” he muttered bitterly.

Kuroko hummed noncommittally, seriously considering the offer. He remembered Momoi-san complaining about Aomine-san using Sota-kun “to help him get laid,” in her own words, and Kuroko suspected it roughly translated into spending more time with his son which, in turn, meant less work for Kuroko. All his other clients required his services only occasionally, at best, so he definitely could make time for Ryuu-kun. On the other hand, he feared his professionalism would be significantly diminished due to exposure to certain alarmingly unsettling factors, such as Kagami Taiga’s arms.  

“You know,” said Kagami suddenly, pulling Tetsuya out of his decidedly indecent thoughts. “The last time I’ve been in a place like that, my nanny brought me too. I hated her, so I promised myself I’d never hire one but, if I’m being honest, I’m doing much worse by myself than I expected.”

He sounded so dejected, something in Kuroko broke with almost an audible snap. Momoi-san was forgotten once again, as Tetsuya attempted to collect himself enough to think rationally about the situation at hand. He was able to infer that Taiga was raising Ryuu alone, and it seemed like a recent development too, but his curiosity was much stronger than his sense of tact.

“Where is Ryuu-kun’s mother, if I may ask?”

“Let’s just say she’s out of the picture,” mumbled Kagami, rubbing the back of his neck.

Kuroko furrowed his brows. “You didn’t kill her and kidnap Ryuu-kun, did you, Kagami-san?”

“What?! God, no! We split up back in America! What’s even  _in_  that head of yours?!”

“I see. I’m relieved.”

Kagami shook his head in disbelief. “Crazy, is what you are.”

Tetsuya smirked, pleased with finally bringing a genuine smile on Taiga’s face. The grin seemed a bit out of place, nothing about it even remotely attractive or pleasant, for that matter, and Kuroko’s heart skipped a bit. He would surely sit there, gaping incredulously and marveling at the irrationality of his feelings at that moment, but he was saved by Sota-kun’s sudden appearance. The boy greeted Kagami-san politely and turned to Tetsuya with a proud grin.

“I’m gonna have a  _scar,_  Tetsu!” he announced, making Kuroko smile fondly. “Did you call my mom?”

Tetsuya blushed in embarrassment. “I got… distracted. I apologize, Sota-kun.”

“Phew, lucky! Now Daiki is gonna have to buy me stuff if he doesn’t want me to tell her it was  _his_ fault!”

Taiga barked out a surprised laugh. “You’re not a very good nanny, are you, Kuroko?”

“So it seems,” said Kuroko, the corners of lips turning slightly upwards. “Should we get going, Sota-kun? Do you need any help, Kagami-san?”

“Nah, I’m fine now,” he said, raising to his feet and adjusting a still sleeping Ryuu on his arm. “You, uh, helped a lot. So… thanks.”

Tetsuya ducked his head, feeling his face getting hot – even more so when Sota  _whistled_ conspicuously, causing Kagami to cough awkwardly. The left the building in uncomfortable silence that lasted until Taiga finished strapping Ryuu in the child car seat. He turned to Kuroko then, his hand on the back of his neck, searching for words. Sota was already waiting by the car, and Tetsuya had decidedly neglected his duties as a nanny enough for one evening, but he still couldn’t move from his spot for some reason.

“You know, Kuroko, I, uh…” started Kagami ineptly.

It was so endearing that Kuroko could barely take it with a straight face.  He bit his lip and took a hesitant step closer, which resulted in Taiga taking an instinctive step back, his back hitting the car door. Tetsuya huffed in amusement and reached inside his bag.

“If you ever need help, Kagami-san, don’t hesitate to call,” he said, offering his card.

Kagami accepted it with a relieved sigh and smiled at him gratefully. “Thanks. I will. Definitely.”

“I look forward to hearing from you, then.

Taiga nodded and turned around to open the door, and Kuroko stepped away. He waited until Kagami started the engine before moving to his own car. Suddenly remember something Taiga had said near the beginning of their contestation, he spun back around and called Kagami.

“Why were you in the ER, Kagami-san? That time your nanny was with you?”

Taiga’s cheek immediately turned bright red and he looked ahead in visible embarrassment. Kuroko’s skin was thrumming with curiosity and anticipation, as he was firmly convinced he was going to simply love the answer. Kagami cleared his throat and shook his head defiantly, before driving off. Tetsuya was still pouting when he got in his own car, listening to Sota-kun complaining about doctor Midorima. His disappointment lasted only for a couple of hours, however, because soon after he got home, he received a text from an unknown number that could have been only Kagami-san’s.

“A dog bit me on the ass,” it read, and Kuroko couldn’t help but laugh. 


	4. Chapter 4

For someone who had to deal with a lot of children in his line of work, Midorima really hated them. They were obnoxious, irresponsible, and couldn’t be reasoned with, which was not only incredibly annoying, but simply exhausting. No words could describe how grateful Shintarou was that his little sister was _nothing_  like all the children he met in the ER. Not to say that she was anything like  _him,_  either, because Shiemi was energetic and sociable, but she was also very mature for her age, and she never caused Midorima any trouble.

Everyone assumed Shintarou just  _looked_  young, and he was Shiemi’s father, but he never bothered to correct them – it was true enough ever since their parents passed away and he became his sister’s legal guardian. The opinion popular among his patients was actually convenient, in all honesty, because while a widowed father evoked compassion, a single man in his late twenties raised suspicions, and Midorima never doubted for a second that many bigoted people would have a problem with a homosexual treating them or their children.

Shiemi, on her part, often acted more like a nagging mother than a daughter, dropping by every day after school to bring him take out or a change of clothes, or just to remind him to sleep because it wasn’t a Monday anymore but a Wednesday, which nothing but embarrassed Shintarou, especially in front of his patients. Especially in front of  _one,_  who suddenly became something of a regular, ruining Midorima’s perfectly collected life  _once again._  Takao Kazunari was back in town, and Shintarou was back in high school, apparently.

“I can’t believe how much you changed, Shin-chan,” drawled Takao while Midorima was bandaging his twisted ankle. “You look even grumpier than before, and I never thought it could be possible~”

“You didn’t change at all,” noticed Shiemi, who was sitting on the edge of the bed, looking through a magazine. “I’ve seen your pictures,” she explained when Takao sent her a questioning look.

“Aww, you still keep pictures of me, Shin-chan?” he cooed, grinning maniacally. “That’s so sweet!”

“Shut up, or I will twist your other ankle,” grumbled Shintarou, blushing despite himself. “She’s seen them burning in a garbage can, I’ll have you know.”

“No, I’m pretty sure it was in that drawer,” said Shiemi helpfully, pointing at his desk.

Midorima wasn’t sure if he wanted to die, or kill his sister, because Takao looked like he was ready to hop to the desk on one leg, and laugh at Shintarou for the rest of his natural life. Meeting regular ex-boyfriends after years was usually mortifying, but meeting Takao Kazunari was a crushing experience in itself, even without the humiliation that his own flesh and blood was putting him through. He pressed harder on Takao’s leg to stop him from getting any stupid ideas, but what he got for his efforts was a soft hiss and a muttered “kinky,” which only flustered him even more.

“The entire basketball team is on that picture, I’ll have you know,” he said in a deceptively steady tone. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

Takao laughed. “Don’t worry, Shin-chan, I’m just messing with you~ The living proof that you got over me is sitting right here, after all!”

“Shiemi is my sister,” corrected Midorima, instantly regretting it. “Which doesn’t mean I am not over you. It’s been ten years, I’ll have you know.”

But Takao wasn’t listening to him, focusing his attention completely on Shiemi, marveling at the fact that the last time he’s seen her was when she was two years old, and Shintarou chose to intervene before they decided to make friendship bracelets. To separate them as fast as possible, he ordered Shiemi to fetch the crutches, while he prepared the documents. Takao was oddly silent all the while, and Midorima could feel his eyes on his back, and he already missed his sister’s presence, seeing as it brought Takao’s attention back to him.

“It’s been really good to see you again, Shin-chan,” said Takao softly. “How about we-”

“Well, everything seems to be in order,” interrupted Shintarou rudely. “As soon as Shiemi brings the crutches, you’re free to go. I will spare you the usual routine since we both know this is not your first injury of the sort. Hopefully, you won’t be back here any time soon.”

For all of Takao’s irritating qualities, he was always quick to take the hint, and he was gone before long without any unnecessary dramatics. Shiemi didn’t comment on the change in the atmosphere, probably reading it better than most adults would have, and simply asked him to go home early, which was an idea that Midorima found oddly agreeable. Normally, he devoted himself to work in order to avoid actually addressing his problems, but dealing with Takao Kazunari always required unconventional methods – whether Shintarou was willing to admit it or not, Takao was probably the love of his life, and seeing him after ten years was something that only a radical change of pace could help him process.

What wasn’t even the least helpful, was Takao’s tendency to get himself injured, and Midorima was starting to think his ex was doing it on purpose, just to aggravate him. Only it didn’t  _just_  infuriate Shintarou – with every one of Takao’s fractured bones, or wounds, or blisters that he had to treat, and with every idiotic story behind them, he fell in love all over again, or rather realized he has never completely fallen out of it. The fact that Takao still flirted as naturally as he breathed, and seemed to be the same annoyingly-carefree-yet-strangely-irresistible self he was ten years ago, only deepened Midorima’s disastrous attraction.

Takao treated him as an old friend, as he  _should,_  as someone who wasn’t pathetically hung up on his first and only love that ended before it could bloom properly, and it was unbearable for Shintarou to see Takao every week and pretend he didn’t still love him; even more agonizing than knowing that Takao didn’t feel the same anymore. It was obvious that he has moved on from high school times, when dating someone as difficult and nasty like Midorima seemed like a good challenge that, in the end, even Takao couldn’t face; there was no way Takao wanted to go through that again, no matter how he used to feel about Shintarou. 

Shiemi was Midorima’s only support, because he didn’t have any actual friends, and she would be simply indispensable, if she didn’t seem hell-bent on ruining his life. She  _liked_  Takao, because everyone always did, and she filled in all the blanks for him when Shintarou refused to reveal any information, and since she was an honest and direct child, she painted her brother’s life for what it was – absolutely pitiful. Midorima couldn’t even wallow in misery like any other  _normal_  person in his situation, because he had to constantly make sure his little sister wouldn’t suddenly blabber out his secret; that was why he  _hated_ children.

Sometimes, Takao visited for no reason at all, just to spend time with Shintarou and Shiemi, which would be almost opportune, given the hectic nature of Midorima’s work, if it wasn’t so suffocating. There was no denying that Takao was a great help, or that Shiemi simply adored him, but once his sister jokingly asked if she could tell people she had two dads, Shintarou had to drew the line somewhere. He couldn’t allow himself to be deluded by the odd domesticity they unintentionally created, unconsciously slipping back into their old dynamics, no matter how much he wanted to believe it was real.

He started denying Takao their time, or even his medical assistance when there was some other doctor available, and it didn’t make Midorima feel any better, but it was the only logical decision to make and execute. Oha Asa wasn’t a viable excuse, because he was certain that Takao followed it too, but Shintarou forced himself to acknowledge that he didn’t  _need_  any pretext to maintain his mental health, and Takao should be more than used to Midorima’s unpleasant personality by now. It was for the best, and if Shiemi seemed to disagree, she would just have to cope.

Shintarou’s life was just beginning to go back to its natural, uneventful and unemotional state, when it was turned upside down again, partly by fate itself, and partly by a stranger in a waiter uniform. Midorima nearly had a heart attack when he saw who the man dragged inside – Takao’s face was awfully engorged, with visible rash that looked even more painful than the swelling. Shintarou rushed to their side to help carry Takao, who immediately lit up and grinned, or perhaps grimaced in pain, it was really hard to tell at the moment.

“Shin-chan,” he slurred, drooling. “My savior~ This is my great friend Himuro!”

“I honestly don’t know this man,” protested Takao’s companion. “He’s been eating cake, and suddenly his face got like this. I brought the list of ingredients of the cake he ordered, if it helps? But why is he acting like this? Is his brain swelling too?”

Pointedly ignoring the way Takao was affectionately rubbing his head against his shoulder, Midorima glanced at the list, and his eyes instantly widened in shock. “Takao, you fool! You’re allergic to peanuts, I’ll have you know! Don’t you even know what you’re eating?! Do you want to die?!”

“Aww, Shin-chan,” slurred Takao, lifting his unseeing eyes to Midorima in awe. “You  _remembered…_  You still love me, hehe~ That’s very good, because I lo-”

And with that, he unceremoniously slumped against Shintarou, finally losing consciousness. Fighting off the blush caused by Takao’s unfinished words, Midorima proceeded to tending to him to the best of his abilities, which was what a professional would do, instead of having a well-hidden panic attack. He couldn’t believe Takao didn’t even carry an EpiPen, because he didn’t remember him being  _that_  reckless, despite landing on the ER at least once a week with various degrees of injury.

“Well, that was embarrassing,” decided Himuro, reminding Shintarou about his presence. “I have to get back to work before my boss starts throwing cake at customers out of boredom, but congratulations on the allergy-slash-brain-swelling-induced confession! I’ll be going now!”

Midorima flushed violently, and decided that saving Takao worked perfectly as a distraction from the fact that his heart was about to burst out of his chest, simply because Takao had no idea what he was babbling about, and Shintarou was naïve enough to hope. Fortunately, his trained hands didn’t start shaking until after the crisis was prevented, and he was tempted to flee before Takao regained consciousness, but simply because Takao Kazunari existed to make Midorima miserable, his eyes opened before Shintarou could move a muscle. They just stared at each other for a moment, neither knowing what to say, until Takao finally averted his eyes in shame.

“It’s incredibly irresponsible not to carry your EpiPen, Takao,” chided Midorima for the lack of anything else to say.

“It’s in my pants,” confessed Takao, laughing bitterly. “I just wanted- I don’t know. I’m really stupid, Shin-chan…”

Shintarou’s breath hitched; perhaps Takao did know what he was blabbering about, after all. It made no sense to Midorima, no matter how intensely he thought about it, because Takao didn’t hint even once that he had any lingering feelings for Shintarou, not to mention that it was him who broke off their relationship in high school.

Midorima remembered that Takao wasn’t any better than him at honestly talking about his feelings when they were teenagers, but he assumed it was because Takao was young and careless then, and would have grown out of it by now. It only fully occurred to Shintarou then that Takao  _really_  hasn’t changed at all in ten years, so he decided to trust Oha Asa (which ranked Cancers as first, and Scorpios as second) and covered Takao’s hand with his.

“You are, I’ll have you know.”


	5. Chapter 5

The day when Himuro became a parent, was the day he lost his job. He didn’t even do anything to deserve that, any of that, except being in the wrong place at the wrong time, in both cases. He was sacked due to the “celebrity incident,” when Tatsuya was accidentally, but very directly, involved in almost injuring a famous basketball player, which he admittedly felt a little guilty about, since he liked the sport a lot. But he didn’t feel like it was a good enough reason to be dismissed, so he kind of punched the manager and, well,  _that_  definitely got him fired.

When he got home, someone was waiting on his doorstep, seemingly with the intention of changing his life forever. Her name was Anna, and Himuro slept with her  _once,_  six years ago on the last day of a summer camp in America. He had no idea how she even  _found_  him, but Tatsuya felt like it was a sign to delete himself from the internet. Oh, and she had a kid with her, apparently Himuro’s, that she had to  _leave_  with him for the summer, for reasons that completely escaped Tatsuya’s notice, seeing as his brain just stopped working at some point.

Jake was five years old and he knew exactly one word in Japanese language – _hentai,_  which was probably his mother’s way of referring to Himuro in the past – so at least Tatsuya would brush up his English, which he would probably see as a good thing as soon as he stopped freaking out about being  _a frigging father._  Which he thought would be virtually never, but he soon had other things to panic about, namely that he currently had no job, and his son had exactly the same way of walking as him, which was even more  _terrifying_  than being unemployed.

He managed, of course, because his landlady Alex was something of a harmless and rather helpful shotacon, and Himuro had some experience with occasionally babysitting his friend’s son, and it was actually easier to take care of a kid you  _liked_ , which was something he wasn’t aware of before. Because of course he liked Jake, he frigging fell in love with him like a big softie he secretly was, just like that, and whether it was some dormant paternal instinct, or Jake’s natural charm, Tatsuya was a total goner for the kid before the week ended. And he still had no job.

Going to his last job interview that week, he was so tired with previous failures, that he decided to start a career as a street performer if he didn’t get the job, so he really hoped people still found juggling entertaining, especially considering the fact it was difficult to pass a job interview if there was no one around to carry it out. The only person who didn’t look like a patron of the café was leisurely standing behind the counter, looking like he ate mountains for lunch, not cupcakes that he currently shoving into his giant mouth. Once Himuro explained the reason he was here, the cookie monster very reluctantly offered him one of the cupcakes.

“No, thank you, I don’t really like sweets,” refused Tatsuya, doing his best not to cringe in distaste.

The guy’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, but his bored expression didn’t change much. “Hired.”

And that was that. Himuro wasn’t sure if he felt comfortable working for someone who’s hiring criterion was whether the employee stole his cupcakes from him or not, but he really needed the money. Besides, as it turned out later, he wasn’t technically his boss – someone in Kyoto named Akashi, who owned a chain of cafes all over Japan was, and Murasakibara just “made cake because Aka-chin told him to.” Getting along with Atsushi wasn’t easy, because the guy quickly turned out to be lazy, indifferent, and rather jaded, and Himuro was naturally hard-working and passionate, so their personalities clashed on more than one occasion. Still, it was a job, and one that he could bring Jake to when Alex couldn’t babysit him.

“How are you so calm about this?” asked Taiga hushedly, when he visited Tatsuya at work. “I mean, how do you even know he’s yours?”

Himuro clicked his tongue, glad his friend was speaking Japanese and Jake couldn’t understand him. “That’s an awful thing to say, Taiga. Can’t you see the resemblance? Besides, I don’t have any reasons not to believe Anna.”

“You told me you were completely wasted and you mistook her for her twin brother. Which still blows my mind six years later, by the way.”

Tatsuya scowled, embarrassed. “Well. That’s fair enough. But it happened, and now I have a kid.  _My_  kid. Who eats, and walks, and sits like me, and likes pickles like me, and what average child likes pickles at this age.”

Taiga conceded, and turned his attention back to his own kid, currently bouncing on the lap of his new nanny, Kuroko, and trying to reach over the table they were sitting at to put his fingers up Jake’s nose, or something like that. In all honesty, it wasn’t that Himuro wasn’t a bit thrown off by the situation, or that he didn’t have any doubts, but it wasn’t the kids fault that his mom just dropped him off in a foreign country and left him with a stranger, so the least he could do for him was take care of him for the summer. Not to mention that Jake was the cutest creature to walk the earth do date, and Tatsuya loved spending time with him.

He realized it might have seemed odd that he wasn’t calling child services or FBI, but he could always keep his head cool, and he knew the system was a far worse option for Jake than spending two months with his alleged dad. Anna called every other day to talk to him and Jake, and it was audible in her voice every time that she missed her son, so there was no way she’d just  _abandon_ him, and it was the absolute least Himuro could do for an old friend who has raised a child alone, whether it was actually his or not. But Jake was his, he just knew it, and it blew his mind in the best of ways.

“Not to pry, but if you’re nanny is with Ryuu, what are  _you_  doing here?” he asked, narrowing his eyes at Taiga.

His friend flushed, sneaking a glance at Kuroko, and Ryuu giggled, flailing his tiny hands, and chanting the word “date,” which only embarrassed his dad even more. Tatsuya rolled his eyes, because if Taiga’s idea of a date was sitting in a café with his friend and both their children, then he wept for Kuroko, honestly. He chuckled when Taiga tried to shush his son, very ineffectively, and Jake joined in on the chanting, even making some other patrons giggle at the scene. Suddenly, both kids simply froze, and the reason for that turned out to be Murasakibara, towering over them like a big silent statute, and it was a miracle no one started crying.

“Do you need me for something, Atsushi?” he asked, smiling. “I’m sorry if my break is over, I didn’t realize.”

Murasakibara shook his head. “Aka-chin is calling. Go.”

“Well, we’d better get going too,” muttered Taiga, raising from his seat, clearly uncomfortable with Atsushi’s mere presence.

Tatsuya’s eyes widened. “B-but… Jake. Can’t you wait five more minutes until Alex comes to pick him up?”

“I’ll sit with him, Muro-chin,” offered Murasakibara, surprising everyone. “I won’t eat him, go.”

Himuro was more than a little reluctant, seeing that Atsushi wasn’t exactly a people person, not to mention the fact that he didn’t know a word in English, but when he came back, they were both still alive, and seemingly very well. They appeared to be communicating through a very basic form of sign language, but Tatsuya wasn’t sure how efficient it was, considering that Jake was currently climbing Atsushi’s head, pulling on his hair and face. The scene was like a sucker-punch right to Himuro’s gut, because while he wasn’t exactly attracted to Murasakibara before, the idea of him being actually good with children was certainly very appealing.

“Ask Jeki-chin what cake he wants to eat tomorrow,” demanded Atsushi awkwardly. “Don’t say pickle cake.”

Tatsuya chuckled, taking Jake off Murasakibara’s head. When they finally decided on something chocolate, Alex barged in like a smooching hurricane, leaving Jake’s entire face glistening from her chap stick, and took him to the playground, promising solemnly to protect him from perverts, as if she wasn’t one herself. Himuro’s good mood didn’t leave him for the rest of the day, or the week, or eventually the month. He simply couldn’t help being ridiculously happy, perhaps because he finally had something else to live for than paying bills and getting into one unsuccessful relationship after another.

Even his rapport with Atsushi improved, and they formed an odd, but strong friendship. Murasakibara was strangely protective of him and Jake, and he often argued with Alex, as if she was trying to take them away from him, but she luckily found that cute, which must have been a first for Atsushi. Even though Murasakibara was really awkward and weird about it, Tatsuya eventually figured out that Atsushi developed something of a crush on him, which was really flattering, but also very confusing, because Himuro kind of like-liked Murasakibara too, and he never pegged himself for someone who believed opposites attracted – on the other hand, maybe that was why he was perpetually single.

In the end, one thing led to another, and everything kind of resolved itself once Tatsuya found Jake sleeping on top of a dozing Atsushi on the couch in the backroom. Being together was a bewildering experience every day, with Atsushi being a steady resistance to Himuro’s almost aggressive passion, until it simmered down to something more peaceful and nearly soothing, only to be suddenly countered with Murasakibara’s unexpected enthusiasm once he got bored with the state of things. Tatsuya was the happiest he’s ever been, and he didn’t even notice when the summer ended, and Anna was at his doorstep again, this time to take Jake away.

“I missed you so much, buttercup,” she whimpered, clinging to her overjoyed son. “Mommy’s here, I’m here.”

Jake started crying once he realized his mother was separating him from Himuro in order to be with him again, and Tatsuya obviously started crying too. He couldn’t imagine his life now without Jake in it, parted by an entire ocean, and he wanted to kick himself for not thinking for a second about the consequences of getting so attached to a child he had little to no right to. Even when Anna explained that they were staying in Japan, moving in with her family in Akita until she got back on her feet, so he could visit anytime he wanted, Tatsuya couldn’t stop feeling like his heart was being spooned out of his chest, because that was still half a country to cross to see his son.

He was still pathetically clinging to Atsushi when Anna and Jake’s train took off, not in the least comforted by the fact Murasakibara was  _texting,_  instead of hugging the misery out of Himuro. He was about to vent his frustration on his soon-to-be ex-boyfriend, when he noticed Atsushi face doing that weird thing that meant he was smiling. Blinking the tears out of his eyelashes, Tatsuya pulled away and looked at Murasakibara questioningly, not bothering to hide the hurt he was feeling because of Atsushi’s apparent indifference to his heartache.

“Aka-chin says we can move to Akita,” said Murasakibara, and Himuro started crying all over again.


End file.
